Stovetop fires are a well-known residential and commercial hazard. An unattended stovetop fire, for example a grease fire, can cause damage to nearby appliances and cabinets. Worse, stovetop fires can lead to structural damage or injury. Because the propensity for stovetop fires is so pervasive, an efficient means of automatic fire suppression is desired. Even if a stovetop fire is attended, an automatic extinguishing method may be more effective and expedient compared to manual means.
A number of conventional automatic stovetop fire extinguishers, which mount above the stovetop surface, are available. These include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,677 to Stager using pressurized liquid; U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,461 to Stager using a pendulum device; U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,487 to Mikulec using a fluid under pressure device; U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,278 to Mikulec using fluid under pressure; U.S. Pat. No. 7,472,758 to Stevens and Weintraub using a fuse activated initiator; U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,075 to Williams using a self-contained device with fire suppressing powder-like agent; U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,181 to Searcy using pyrotechnic fuse; U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,636 to North using fluid under pressure; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,760 to Tabor using fluid under pressure.
The array of conventional fire suppression systems vary from pendulum swing apparatus (Stager '461), to canister systems (Williams '307 and Stager '677), or to tube connecting systems for fire suppressing liquid effluent under pressure (Mikulec '278, '487). The array of conventional fire suppression systems also vary across activation forms, for example, by: melting of a fusible pin (Stager '461); melting a solder fusible plug (Stager '677); melting solder and wire activation (North '636); melting a link (Tabor '760); to burning of a fuse (Williams '307, Stevens '758, Searcy '181); or to activating via a glass bulb fuse mechanism (Mikulec).
Conventional stovetop fire suppressors can include pressurized fluid with complex mounting mechanisms or may include a swinging pendulum mount. Liquid effluent stovetop fire extinguishers may be activated by melting of a meltable material, such as solder. Conventional stovetop fire suppressors with a particulate fire suppressing agent may activate by pyrotechnic charge containing initiators. Still other conventional pressurized liquid effluent stovetop fire suppressors may activate by thermal glass bulb.
In a stovetop fire condition, it may be desirable to provide a controlled release of a fire suppressing agent both in a pattern of distribution of the agent and in the release of the agent as a function of time. It is most desirable to an provide an early, reliable, and quick response to a fire condition. It may be desirable to provide a fire suppressor device in a closed container that is readily mounted above the stovetop cooking surface.